Method and apparatus for circulating and humidifying the air in a refrigerating room and for defrosting



Oct. C. s. ZEDLlK 2,017,781

` METHOD 'AND APPARATUS FOR CIRCULATING- AND IUMIIDIFYINGv THE AIR IN A REFRIGERATING' ROOM` AND FOR DEFROSTING Filed Aug. 25, 1955 /7\Z} riad; /7 f If/8 gf/.2

Patented Oct.v 15, 1935 UNITED -STATES-- PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS Fon CIRCULAT; mGANDHUMIDmYmG THEAIRINA REFRIGERATING nooM AND Fort DE- FROSTING This invention relates to a refrigerating apparatus, and particularly to a. refrigerating'appa# ratus which comprises a room cooled by a plurality of conduits to which a cooling medium is supplied. In most establishments where meat and other perishable products are kept, a chamber is provided which is usually cooled by a plurality of pipes or conduits through which a cooling medium is circulated by an artificial refrigerating means. There is usually a partition between said pipes or conduits and the main portion of the chamber in which the articles to be refriger ated are placed.l It has been found that with such an arrangement a heavy coating of ice accumulates on the conduits and it is necessary at more or less frequent intervals to chop this ice from the conduits. lThe accumulation of this ice lowers the cooling efficiency of the conduits and its reata low point so that the meat dries out. Of f recent times it has been considered quite necessary and beneficial to have a. high degree of humidity in the cooling room so that the meat is 30 kept in fresh and moist condition.

It is an object of this invention to provide asimple anrl eilicient device for removing the ice from the cooling coils, furnishing moisture to the cooling chamber to maintain the humidity at a 35 l high point and to effect a uniform distribution of air in said cooling chamber.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a means for causing air to flow over said cooling conduits at one side of a partition which 40v is usually provided between said conduits and the main portion of said chamber, whereby said air will melt the ice from said conduits, carry the moisture into said chamber and cause a uniform distribution of air in said chamber.

45 It is another object of the invention to provide a. cooling chamber having a plurality of cooling 55` means at regular intervals.

It ismore specifically an object of the invention t9 provide a cooling chamber, a` plurality of conduits carrying a cooling medium for cooling the same, a partition between said conduits and the mainl portion Aof said chamber, a casing ad- 5 jacent one end of said partition adapted to direct air atone side thereof over said conduits and into said chamber, whereby ice will be removed from said conduits, moisture will be supplied to said chamber and a uniform distribution of air 10 effected, means preferably being provided to cause .an intermittent operation of said last mentioned means at regular intervals.

These and other objects and advantages of th invention will be fully set forth in the following l5 description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section through a 20 cooling chamber taken substantially on line l-I of Fig. 2; and i Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection through the cooling chamber taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the controlling switch and associated parts.

Referring to the drawing, a chamber is shown comprising side walls 5 and a top wall 6. These walls are usually made rather thick and contain insulating material. Within said chamber is a. partition 1 having its ends spaced from the wall 6 and from the bottom of said chamber, and between said partition and one side wall are disposed conduits 8, illustrated as extending horizontally substantially throughout the width of said chamber, which `conduits will be connected lishments which sell or handle meat such appa.-

ratus is usually installed in the basement. Such refrigerating apparatus and cooling conduits are now well known and need not furtherv be described. g One side wall 5 is shown as provided with a door 5a-mounted o n the hinges 9 and held 45 shut by a latch I0. A plurality of hooks Il are shown secured in andprojecting from the side walls 5 and partition 1, such as used to support meat.

In accordance with this invention, a casing I2 50 is provided and while this casing may be variously located, in the embodiment of the' invention illustrated, it is shown as disposed adjacent the top wall 6 and somewhat adjacent one side wall 5. Said casing is shown as being supported A fan I4 is disposed in casing I2 having the usual driving motor I5 of the' electrical type secured thereto, said motor and fan being secured to casing I2 by the small brackets I6. A pair of conductors I'I and I8 are shown extending to motor I5, one of which is controlled by a switch shown as disposed in casing I9 mounted on wall E. Said switch comprises a rotating element having contact segments 20a shown as three in number and substantially equal in extent to the y spaces therebetween. Said switch also comprises a stationary contact member 20h adapted to be engaged at intervals by the members 20a. Member 20 is mounted upon a shaft 2| which will preferably be connected to the shaft of aA minute-hand of a clockwork mechanism I9a so that member 28 is revolved regularly and makes one revolution in an hour. Shaft 2l is electrically connected to conductor I8 as indicated in Figs. 2

30 @and 3.

s f In operation, the clockwork mechanism will be operated and switch member 20 revolved. When one of the segments 20a is in contact with contact member 20h, the circuit through motor I5 will be closed and current will be supplied to said motor to drive fan I4. When said segments 28a are not in engagement with contact 28h the circuit of motor I5 is broken and said motor and fan I4 are not operated. Air will be drawn into the upper end of casing I2 by said fan and said airA I4 will be stopped and will remain stopped until another member 28a. engages contact member 28h. Fan I4 will thus be started and stopped at regular intervals and while these intervals may be varied, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the fan will be operated for ten minutes and then stopped for ten minutes.

The described operation accomplishes three very important things. Any ice which has accumulated on the coils or conduits 8 will be melted and removed by the air directed over said conduits. The moisture from the melted ice is taken up by the air and carried into the chamber and this maintains the humidity in said chamber at a high point. The circulation of air effects a uniform distribution of air in all parts of the chamber so that meat keeps just as well in one part as in another. The intermittent operation of the fan is quite important. It has been found in practice that if the fan is run continuously, the humidity drops and there is a drying eifect on the meat. The fan being idle for a period allows the warmer air to accumulate at the top of the chamber and this air when directed downwardly over the conduits readily melts the accumulated ice therefrom. With the device in operation only a light layer of frost accumulates on the pipes 0r conduits 8-which is the most desirable condition. 'Ihere is noA dripping from the conduits 8, and, as stated, the moisture from these conduits is carried into the cooling chamber by the air and maintains the humidity therein at a high point. 5

It will be understood that the cooling medium is supplied to the coils 8 by a refrigerating apparatus driven by an electric motor. This motor is operated intermittently the same being controlled by a thermostat disposed in the chamberyto be cooled which chamber is illustrated as having the sidewalls 5 and the top wall 6. When fan I4 4 starts after a period of rest the air from the top of the chamber which is the warmest air moves down over the coils 8 and, when the cooling mel5 dium is not being circulated in saidcoils, this air melts the accumulated frost or ice from the coils. The coils thus become moist and the air moving over the moist coils is effectively washed.v This results in the extraction of odors from the air 20 and in keeping the air in fresh condition even `vafter the chamber has beenclosed for a long period as at night or on a holiday.v As stated it has been necessary heretofore to chop heavy accumulations of ice from conduit 8. 'I'he action 25 of the air in applicants device prevents a heavy accumulation of ice so that this operation is entirely eliminated. The device has received long tests and records have been kept of the humidity.

These records show that the humidity is quite 305 uniform and that the temperature remains the same in allparts of the chamber. The latter fact is due to the fan I4 which circulates the air at regular intervals.

The device is quite simple and can be easily 35* and quickly installed in the small refrigerating rooms now used by meat stores and at small expense. 'Ihe device has been found to have great utility in cooling the chamber in a display coun-,-

ter where meat and other articles are cooled. 40,

In such an installation the bottom of the chamber in the counter forms the partition between the chamber and. cooling conduits. As stated, the device has been amply demonstrated and tested in actual practice and found to be very 45 successful and efcient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, Without departing from the scope of applicants invention, 50 which generally stated, consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:-N

l. A refrigerating device having in combination with a chamber to be cooled, a plurality of conduits in said chamber to which a cooling medium -is supplied at intervals for cooling said chamber, means for directing air over said oon- 50 duits and circulating the same in-said chamber, and chronometric means for starting and stopping said last mentioned means at regular intervals and independently of the temperature in said chamber, whereby ice at times is melted and re- 65 moved from said conduits, moisture is carried by said air to said chamber to maintain a high humidity therein and a uniform distribution of air in said chamber is effected.

2. In combination with a chamber of compara- 70 tively large size, a partition adjacent one wall of said chamber and spaced from the top and bot.- tom thereof and a plurality of refrigerating coils between said wall and partition to which a cooling medium is intermittently supplied to main- 75.

,of said chamber and spaced from th'e top and bottom thereof and a `plurality of refrigerating coils between said wall and partition to which a cooling medium is intermittently supplied to maintain substantially a certain temperature in said chamber, a casing adjacent the top of said chamber having open ends, one end of said casing being directed toward said coils, a, fan in said casing for directing air therethrough and downwardly over said coils and means for starting and stopping said fan at regular intervals.

4. The method of controlling the atmosphere 5 in a refrigerating room having cooling coils therein to which a cooling medium is intermittently supplied by a device controlled by the temperature in said room, which consists in circulating the air in said room and directing said moving 10 air over said coils, said operation being alternately continued for a certain denite time period and then discontinued for a. certain'denite time ,period so that the same is intermittent and acts at times to remove ice or frost from said coils, and 15 acts to maintain an atmosphere in said room with the temperature and a high humidity substantially uniform in all portions of said room.

CARL S. ZEDLIK. 20 

